White Houses
by short-macchiato
Summary: Modern AU: This is the story of how the revolutionary student group The Amis met, at a camp for first year students at Corinth University. A prequel to a Les Mis college fic I am currently writing.
1. Chapter 1

It's early morning, probably not even nine yet and the air is still crisp, still sharp. It smells of freshness, as if upon the waking of the masses, the pristine air is drained and replaced with something far stuffier, far more claustrophobic.

Enjolras would rise before nine every morning; actually it was a lot closer to seven so that he could continue on in the routine he had established sometime in high school. He wakes, makes breakfast and goes for a run. It generally lasts for about an hour and is the perfect time to absorb this fresh air and stop to observe the world around him before he launches into a long day of work.

These days he likes to explore new areas of the suburb as he runs. Just last month he moved out of home and in with a friend from high school – Marius. His total opposite in every way. Marius would wake well past midday and eat breakfast around three. Every day when they would watch the news Marius would complain about how he sleeps through half the day and that time was going too fast for him. Then he would make a pact with Enjolras who just raises his eyebrows in feigned interest, not taking his eyes off the blaring television. Marius would state that from now on he will get into a routine just like Enjolras. Enjolras smiles and wishes him luck but also wonders if Marius realises that he already has a routine, it's just not a very good one.

The suburb where they are living is nowhere near as nice as their family residences. He hates to admit it but sometimes Enjolras genuinely misses waking and having breakfast already made for him by one on the chefs. That has been one of the biggest adjustments he has had to make since moving out of home; the food. He remembers back when he would have blinis, eggs Benedict and fresh fruit before going for his runs. Now the fridge is stocked with an endless supply of Up and Gos and he regrets never learning to cook. Their new neighbourhood is noisy, a major route for trucks and full of peak hour traffic but it was close to public transport and close to the university and for Enjolras that was all that mattered.

They had recently been accepted into the Corinth University out in the east. It was one of the top universities in the nation but it was located far from the city and therefore formed its own little university suburb. By they; we mean Enjolras and Marius as well as their friends Combeferre and Courfeyrac whom they had previously attended high school with. It was not at all surprising that the four were now attending university together. It was as if they were on some predestined path which the four were following to the letter.

Be born into the wealthiest and most powerful families in the nation; check.

Attend on of the best private all boys school in the nation; check.

Obtain the highest marks in the final exams; check.

Attend one of the best universities in the nation; check.

As previously stated, they were following this path perfectly.

The four were also legacy children. Their parents had all attended Corinth which assisted in putting them at the top of the acceptance list, this coupled with the fact that these boys were amongst the very few who could afford the university's exorbitant fees resulted in their quick and expected acceptance into the university.

That was what Enjolras hated about the education system; if you can't pay the fees you can't get the degree. Unless you were a scholarship kid of course, but even so, the marks they were required to achieve for acceptance into Corinth were practically impossible for the average person to achieve. He remembers the scholarship children at his school. They would have no friends, they would barely talk, just study incessantly. In year eleven a student killed himself because he was at risk of losing his place at their high school due to his dropping grades. His average was 98% at the start of the year and had dropped to a 92. Enjolras remembers just scraping an 85 that year.

Combeferre and Courfeyrac are already at Enjolras and Marius' home by the time Enjolras arrives back from his run. He is shocked. It is the first time he has seen Marius up before midday and Combeferre has brought them McDonalds for breakfast. Meanwhile Courfeyrac was practically bouncing off the walls. Today was orientation day.

"We _have _to go on first year's camp!" He shouts so loudly that the other boys all turn and glare at him. "Seriously it will be awesome, we'll get laid, Enjolras will get laid."

"I fail to understand why I have been singled out here" Enjolras speaks over a hot mug of coffee.

"It's because you speak like that, _Sir_ seriously man I feel like I'm talking to a teacher, and it's off putting."

"Well I must say I am glad I don't turn you on."

"I didn't mean it like that" Courfeyrac sighs at his friend taking his words out of context and Enjolras tries to hide his smirk "Girls don't find talking to their teacher very sexy-"

"Can you please not talk to me about what is sexy, it is weird and too early in the morning for this."

"And even so" Marius pipes up "Some girl like that kind of thing, you work it Enj" and the three boys descend into loud fits of laughter.

Enjolras rolls his eyes and drains his mug "I'm going to get changed, let's be out of here in half an hour. I think the campus book store is already open."

* * *

The campus is buzzing by the time the boys arrive and Courfeyrac is almost hyperventilating as he thinks that the camp has already sold out.

"Come on Enj you _have _to go! It is apparently the best uni event all year" Courfeyrac and Combeferre's older siblings are both Corinth alumni and have been taunting the boys with stories or amazing, deborturous university camps for the last three years. According to Courfeyrac, they _needed_ to go on this camp if they were to have a true university experience.

"I don't really think it is my scene."

"Uni camps are _everyone's_ thing" Courfeyrac is at his over exaggerating best again and it takes a fair amount of persuading from Combeferre whom Enjolras considers to be the only reasoned one in their group to persuade the boy to go.

He then finds the campus book store and stocks up on some of the latest essays and autobiographies published by his favourite authors. Courfeyrac is already chatting up some other first years and Enjolras knows that this camp is going to be a long four days.

* * *

**AN: I should be working on my major essay. **

**Okay so this basically the story of how The Amis was born in the context of an upcoming college fic that I am writing which occurs a year after the events in this story. The next chapter will be the camp where you will meet a few more of The Amis and Eponine. This is a two shot.**

**I hope you all enjoyed it and will follow, favourite or even review… please review it really inspires me to write a lot more.**


	2. Chapter 2

Combeferre looks down at his watch, he was nothing if not punctual, and the form said they were leaving Corinth at 9, it was now quarter to ten and he is getting impatient. Everyone has arrived; they have finished their awkward introductory games, which Courfeyrac was enjoying far too much (Combeferre spots him running through the cafeteria in what looked like a very intense game of duck duck goose).

His group – there was about nine of them are sitting around in a circle, drinking coffee and discussing high school memories and what their final scores were. He just wanted to get going, apparently the camp site was right on the beach, he and Enjolras had discussed going for a swim before all the drinking started.

"What are we waiting for?" he sighs loudly once again staring down at his watch.

"Its Bossuet" one of the boys with short dark hair glances over at him "He got sunstroke yesterday at The Anthem."

"The music festival?"

"Yeah, a few of us went but he can't handle the heat the way we can."

"You know him outside of uni?" Combeferre asks.

"Yeah, high school."

"I'm Combeferre by the way."

The other boy nods "Bahorel, many people from your school end up here at Corinth?"

"Fair few, I'm an Old-"

"None from my school" both boys turn to seem a much smaller boy joining them, looking cautiously at the floor where they are sitting "Joly, I'm from interstate."

"Nice" Bahorel nods, "Why come all the way over here to study?"

"Best med school in the country."

"You're doing med?" Combeferre smiles.

Joly nods " I want to be a GP, you?"

"Cardiologist."

"Nice"

It was only another half hour before Bossuett, an engineering student arrived. His skin was burnt bright red and people were staring as he walked passed "Wearing clothes hurts too much" he claimed when Bahorel raised his eyebrows at his friend before pulling him into an excruciating hug which almost resulted in Bossuet knocking out Bahorel in an attempt to remove the latter from his burning skin. However, they were further delayed as Joly led the group on a quick trip to the chemist to purchase some Eucalyptus Oil which was apparently the best natural remedy to heal or at least soothe burns.

Combeferre avidly avoided the sun, he had seen Marius return home from the beach in a similar state to Bossuet on a number of occasions and though he was nowhere near as pale as Marius, he did not feel like being diagnosed with skin cancer before he is 30. He almost breathes a sigh of relief when they finally depart.

* * *

The busses are loud and people are shouting and running down the aisles, everyone is already drinking as if making up for lost time and Combeferre thinks this may just be the best trip he has ever taken. He spots Courfeyrac on the other side of the bus, who raises his bottle of beer in a mock toast. This was going to be an incredible four days.

It takes almost four hours to actually get to the camp that is situated up on the coastline, and their camp hosts decide to institute a game of speed dating on the bus to pass time and get everyone acquainted.

Courfeyrac has turned on his trademark charm as he woos a pretty blond girl from another camp family and everything is going surprisingly well. She isn't even that drunk and is practically eating out of the palm of his hand. He always knew Corinth was the place for him.

"How can you say that? This government has done nothing to benefit our country" Courfeyrac stops when he hears a familiar voice rise over the noise on the bus "They have done nothing but put the nation in a deficit. I don't care if-"

Courfeyrac rolls his eyes, who talks politics on a university camp? Enjolras, of course. And the poor girl he is yelling at looks like she is about to burst into tears as Enjolras launches an absolute tirade of 'reason' at her.

Courfeyrac sighs loudly and looks over at the girl who is staring at him in complete and total awe "I'll be right back"

"Enjolras" Courfeyrac yells at the blond boy, distracting him from his argument with the thoroughly terrified girl "This speed dating, why are you attacking this girl over _politics?_ Why are you even talking politics?"

"I asked her who she was voting for" Enjolras shrugs.

"Why?"

"I believe it displays a lot about someone's character."

"Yeah" the girl stares up at Enjolras "that you're a freak!"

"Alright first years, swap!" A leader shouts from the front of the bus. All Courfeyrac can do is sigh and walk back to his seat, head in his hands, why did they insist on bringing him again?

* * *

Marius's camp family are on dinner duty for the night, therefore it was their job to prepare dinner for the students, all 130 of them. It's just burgers but for kids like Marius, the only time they step into the kitchen is when they get a glass of water; they have no idea how to make burgers. Unfortunately, most of the students in Marius' group were in the same situation and he thinks he recognises some of them from back when he used to play sports in high school.

It was that brief period between year 7 and year 9 and he tried soccer, tennis, basketball and even baseball but it was obvious that he was no sportsman like Enjolras or Combeferre. Those boys were built differently to the likes of Marius and Courfeyrac; they were naturally bigger than the rest and actually enjoyed spending time in the gym or running marathons. And when they would go to the gym, Marius was jealous of the way Enjolras and Combeferre would put on muscle, it was as if their hard work was immediately apparent while Marius felt as if he was perpetually trapped in the body of his thirteen year old self.

So he tried debating, but that too was dominated by Combeferre and Enjolras, theatre was Courfeyrac's domain and Marius knew he was no singer or actor. So he joined the business society. It was the one thing that he could do, that he was better at than the rest of the boys. It was as if it was his sacred place and he cherished it, so much that he was enrolled to study commerce at university, he wants to work in corporate restructuring.

As the camp group stood around the tiny kitchen he noticed one of the girls get straight to work. As if she had the recipe imprinted in her mind she wordlessly started searching for chopping boards, mixing bowls and knifes. He watched as she ducked and weaved herself across the kitchen and the rest of the group began to talk between themselves, leaving her to make dinner for over 100 students by herself.

He walks over and smiles at her "Need help?"

She looks up at him with a small smile on her lips and shrugs "Sure, do you mind grabbing the mince out of the fridge for me? I found it too heavy" and she watches as he hurries off in the other direction.

Once he has bought her the mince he starts delegating jobs to the rest of the group. Some of them chop vegetables while others set tables and get drinks. He almost feels like Enjolras the way he has delegated the jobs to the rest of the group and it gives him hope that one day he will be able to lead the workers of his company this way.

"Thanks for that" she is still smiling as she adds spices to the mix but doesn't look at him.

"No problem, do you want some help making the burgers?" And that becomes his role for the night. She mixes together the ingredients while he flattens them down into patties. She tells him to stop being such a perfectionist (people are just going to eat them in the end anyway) but he decides to take pride in his work and measures them out to be all the exact same size.

"Engineering?" she questions as he eyes off one particular patty that has been causing him so much trouble.

"Commerce. Yourself?"

"Liberal Arts."

He notices how her voice is raspy, deep and a little husky. She is tiny, most girls are but she seems too small to be at university but there are worry lines on her brow that make her look much older than the first year she claims to be.

When he finally tastes the burger it is bland. It is not horrible and most definitely edible but nothing compared to what he was used to. He was used to Angus Beef or Scotch Fillet burgers and this was definitely budget mince, over cooked due to the boys barely being able to turn on the barbecue let alone cook on it. And he can't help but wonder where this girl came from. She is vastly different from almost everyone on the camp. She is quiet; there are bags under her eyes and not a single item of designer clothing in sight. And she knew how to cook; he did not know anyone who could cook.

"I'm sorry" he says between bites "I didn't catch your name before." She smirks at him and points to the name badge perched on her T-shirt "Oh, Eponine."

"It's nice to meet you Marius" and she extends a tomato sauce covered hand for him to shake, which he does, tentatively, knowing that his hands are going to be covered in that sticky red condiment which he loathes and that he will smell it on himself all night.

"You too Eponine, you're a pretty good cook" he smiles at her "I should introduce you to my friends; we haven't had a decent meal since we moved out of home."

She raises her eyebrows at him "I'm not going to be your personal chef."

"Oh, oh God I didn't mean it like that, I am so sorry if I have offended you. I - I" he begins to relax when he sees her smile, obviously enjoying watching him squirm "I just mean they should meet the chef of this lovely meal."

She blushes and keeps her eyes fixed firmly on the ground.

* * *

So far Enjolras was unimpressed. This trip was everything Courfeyrac had promised it would be – practically a scene out of an American college film they had seen when they were fifteen. To put it simply, this trip was a compilation and demonstration of everything he hated in the world. He was yet to see a single intelligent conversation and right now, his friends were getting very well acquainted with the rest of the camp groups and he could hear some terrible karaoke off in the distance. What had he gotten himself into?

As night falls the music, laughter and unfortunately for Enjolras, karaoke gets louder as the camp truly descends into drunken madness Enjolras retreats back to the dorms and pulls out his book of the Revolutions of the 1980s which he had been meaning to start for a few days now.

"Ahh, the 1980s, best decade in my opinion" he cannot see the person who is talking to him who is climbing over a top bunk and is dressed as a soldier (tonight was a dress up party after all).

"A bit violent don't you think?"

"Almost all change is violent at some time or another and the 80s were a decade of great change, of great advancement in our society economically, politically, socially. If the 80s never happened society would be no where near as advanced as it is today, I can assure you that."

Enjolras nods, listening to the other man's opinion "but what about all the problems that arose out of the 80s, a consumerist society, oligarchs and the supremacy of the Russian Mafia as well as the seeds being laid of the current GFC?"

"Ford created a consumerist society upon the creation of the production line, the Russian mafia has existed since the February Revolution not to mention, Stalin's gulags are where they truly established their beliefs, code of honours etcetera as for the GFC, well you're right there, greed is not always good" he finishes "Feuilly by the way" he gives Enjolras a quick handshake.

"Enjolras."

"Well Enjolras I would love to keep debating the importance of the 1980s to modern society however I have twelve Jim Beams and cokes sitting outside and they aren't going to drink themselves. Seriously man, come outside, the book will still be there tomorrow."

* * *

Later that night they are all drunk. The first night it is an open bar and everyone intends to take full advantage of it. Marius has lost all his friends when he sees Eponine sitting up on the fence, staring out in the direction of the ocean.

He climbs up next to her "Why aren't you inside, it's pretty cold out here now."

"I want to go to the beach," she says not lifting her eyes from the horizon.

It's the alcohol talking, he is usually not impulsive or one to break the rules but no one is watching them and he is sure no one will notice if they disappear for a few minutes. He jumps the fence and takes her hand "Well let's go."

There is a fire lit on the beach and Marius recognises Enjolras's figure in the light. "You're not meant to be down here," he snaps as Marius approaches and before he can reply Eponine has briskly stepped in "And do the rules not apply to you?"

Marius laughs, "The rules never apply to Enjolras"

She cannot help but raise her eyebrows, smirking as she sits on the sand, still warm from the sun, which had heated it throughout the day "How can the rules never apply to Enjolras?"

"I live how I believe it is right to live, regardless of what the law or the rules dictate."

"So, if you have a tutorial on a Monday morning but it's too early to get up will you not go?"

"That would be detrimental to my education, which I am paying an absolute fortune for-"

"Therefore you would attend" Eponine finishes for him.

"Yes bu-"

"So the rules do apply to you."

"Aren't you supposed to be on a drunken search for condoms or contemplating risking teenage pregnancy in a dirty dorm room?" Enjolras snaps.

"Aren't you supposed to be up at the main camp?"

Enjolras sighs and stares into the fire, he was tired, bored and he cannot help but wish that he was anywhere but here. "Maybe you two should go back to the main camp."

The girl, Eponine, he reads her name tag in the dim firelight smirks again, as if she genuinely enjoys annoying him "Nah, I'm pretty comfortable here" she lies down on the sand and stares up at the stars shining bright in the sky.

* * *

Combeferre is relieved when the camp ends a few days later. It has been brilliant and perhaps one of the best weeks of his life but right now they were tired. Everyone is tired and extremely grumpy. He is particularly annoyed, he has not been for a run in four days, he has done nothing but drink and eat the worst food, and he intends to go for a run when they got home but he knew it would take forever for him to get into the habit of running daily again. But perhaps that was just the price he was to pay for a good time. And he has had a better than good time.

On the last day of the camp whilst waiting for the busses to pick them up, he quickly exchanges his details with the rest of his camp group, he is surprised at how well they had all gotten on and by the looks of it, Courfeyrac and Marius had had a similar experience. He cannot help but smirk at Marius who is sitting alone with the brunette girl whom it seems he has become close with. Marius was never much of a ladies man in high school but perhaps here at Corinth that will change.

And Combeferre cannot wait to spend the next six years of his life at Corinth. The semester could not start fast enough. He is prepared, he is ready but most of all he is excited. Excited to start studying medicine, excited have gained a certain amount of independence and excited to immerse himself in university life, especially after meeting so many new people on camp.

He has been working towards this for his whole life and here it was, he is holding all he's ever wanted in his hands and he has no intention of ever letting it go.

* * *

**AN: Thank you for reading and please comment, I really appreciate it.**

**Thank you to everyone who commented on the first instalment, I really appreciate it.**

**Just a few thinks before I leave this - the extended fic should be out in about 3 months. Please go to my tumblr .com for more updates in regards to it.  
**

**Unfortunatley I was unable to introduce Grantaire, Cosette or Jehan in this fic, I felt as if it was already too cluttered to be introducing more characters but they will feature strongly in the main story. Jehan is actually the person Courfeyrac is chasing in the duck duck goose game.  
**

**I hope you enjoyed this and please feel free to read some of my other stories.**


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